Sometimes there are just no words…
Many people struggle with what to say to a person who has been newly diagnosed with cancer. In fact that person may quickly become a magnet for platitudes! Things such as “sure anyone… Continue reading
In 1948, two French scientists noticed something unexpected in their lab samples: fragments of DNA drifting in blood plasma. At the time, the discovery seemed trivial, even puzzling. DNA, after all, was supposed… Continue reading
You’ve likely heard people talk about “chemo brain”—or maybe you’ve even felt it yourself. It’s that foggy sensation that can make it tough to find the right word, recall a friend’s name, or… Continue reading
So few grains of happiness measured against all the dark and still the scales balance. – Jane Hirshfield “The Weighing” I’ve been reflecting on these lines from Jane Hirshfield’s poem The Weighing and how its… Continue reading
In many cultures, greetings are often seen as polite and routine exchanges. However, in some Muslim cultures, there exists a profound dimension to these everyday interactions. When someone asks, “How are you?” in… Continue reading
I discovered that today, September 16th is ‘Tattoo Story Day’. While I am not sure if this is a day that’s universally marked, it gives me the prompt I need to tell the… Continue reading
Checking my August Awareness Day Calendar, I discovered that today, August 30th is designated as Grief Awareness Day. Sometimes I feel we are awash with grief in our community. Not just in our… Continue reading
Are you looking for a new job after cancer treatment? Perhaps you left your last employment after your diagnosis, or maybe you are still in your current job but want a fresh start… Continue reading
“In a society which is much more inclined to help you hide your pain rather than to grow through it, is necessary to make a very conscious effort to mourn.” – Henri Nouwen Grief… Continue reading
T for this week’s round-up of the best of the blog posts which I’ve read over the past week. These are the posts that have moved me, taught me something, inspired me, and which I’ve wanted to share with you. Don’t forget if you have written a post which you would like readers to see, just […]
The Thing Is to love life, to love it evenwhen you have no stomach for itand everything you’ve held dearcrumbles like burnt paper in your hands,your throat filled with the silt of it.When… Continue reading
The Butterfly Effect For Marie Ennis O’Connor So close and still Quietly far away From the company Who chose you The day you heard The word we all Heard. Echoes In a canyon… Continue reading
26 posts. 26 days. 26 letters of the alphabet, one blog post beginning with each letter. H is for Hair I started this blog a few years after my breast cancer diagnosis and… Continue reading
I have just been reading about an inspiring group of women, who call themselves the Dragon Divas. They are dedicated to changing the image of breast cancer survivors in their communities by demonstrating… Continue reading
While no one who has survived a few rounds in the fight against cancer, wants to think about going back into the ring again, the reality is, that as cancer patients live longer, the… Continue reading
In choosing to go public with her illness, the actress best known for her role in Charlie’s Angels, Farrah Fawcett has inevitably been compared to British reality star, Jade Goody, who lost her fight with cancer in… Continue reading
The Minister for Health, Mary Harney has published the Report of the Expert Group on Biobanking, which contains recommendations for the establishment of a National Cancer Biobank in Ireland. A biobank is a… Continue reading
The Annual General Meeting of Europa Donna Ireland, will be held in Buswells Hotel, Dublin 2 on Saturday 23 May at 12 noon. Following the AGM there will be an Information Session at 1.30… Continue reading
If you learned that you were at high risk of cancer because you carry the hereditary BRCA1/2 gene mutation, would you tell your children? A recent study at Fox Chase Cancer Center not… Continue reading
The Look Good…Feel Better programme, which many women have had an opportunity to avail of in the cancer support centres or hospitals where they received treatment, is celebrating their 20th anniverserary this year. In 1989,… Continue reading
Many women who experience abnormal swelling of the arm or shoulder area following treatment for breast cancer — a condition called lymphedema — suffer in silence, according to the results of a recent survey. Lymphedema… Continue reading